An Improved Gas Chromatographic Determination of Urinary Catecholamine Metabolites

Abstract

We describe an improved gas chromatographic method for the determination of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid (vanilmandelic acid), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyacetic-acid (homovanillic acid), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol. By incorporating slight modifications to established procedures, this method allows the urinary metabolites to be measured more rapidly and with better resolution. The procedure uses an internal standard and involves ethyl acetate extraction, silylation, and chromatography using a combination of two different stationary phases. The technique is simple and reliable and may be easily incorporated as a routine laboratory procedure.